Method and apparatus for connecting two or more components by soldering

ABSTRACT

A method of fastening two or more components together by rivets. Drivers ( 12 ) drive the rivets through the components and against dollies ( 6 ) and/or clinch them. The object is a method that can be carried out with lighter-weight devices and at higher speeds. The components that are to be fastened together rest on a device that the dollies are part of. The device ( 3 ) is provided with means of positioning, securing, and guiding the components. The individual dollies ( 6 ) are positioned below the riveting points.

[0001] The present invention concerns a method of fastening two or morecomponents together by rivets as recited in the preamble to claim 1. Theinvention also concerns a device for carrying out the aforesaid method.Sheetmetal components, especially those riveted together, are now beingincreasingly employed in the field of automotive manufacture. This trendhas been augmented by the practice of combining various components intosubassemblies. Riveted joints can also be reinforced with adhesives.

[0002] U-shaped “tongs” with a rivet driver at the end of one arm and adolly at the end of the other are often employed to rivet the partstogether. Such tongs can be operated by hand or by robots. Since therivets usually are of types that punch their own holes out of thematerial, no preliminary punching is necessary.

[0003] The aforesaid method, which employs hydraulically or electricallypowered tongs, has several drawbacks. The arms of the tongs must be veryrigid, and their weight accordingly increases considerably with theirlength, with how far the riveting point is from the outer edge of thecomponent, that is. Such tongs are very heavy, and their arms tend tosag considerably. The robots need to be very sturdy, and cannot move asquickly as lighter-weight robots.

[0004] Another disadvantage is low speed. The tongs have to be openedand, in a complicated procedure, correctly positioned before they can beshifted to the next riveting point. This procedure can be even moretroublesome when the machinery includes several robots and severalriveting tongs.

[0005] One object of the present invention is accordingly a method offastening two or more components together by rivets, a method that canbe carried out with lighter-weight devices and at higher speeds.

[0006] This object is attained in accordance with the present inventionby the method recited in the body of claim 1, claims 2 through 6addressing practical and advanced embodiments. Claim 7 recites a devicefor carrying out the method, and claims 8 through 12 address practicaland advanced embodiments thereof.

[0007] One embodiment of the present invention will now be specifiedwith reference to the accompanying drawing, wherein

[0008]FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of a riveting device inaccordance with the present invention and

[0009]FIG. 2 depicts a die for positioning an automotive subassembly.

[0010] Two or more sheet-metal components 1 and 2 are to be fastenedtogether in the illustrated example. The components rest on a rivetingdevice 3, with component 2, underneath, resting directly against thedevice and maintained in its intended position bypositioning-and-securing heads 4. Component 1, which is to be fastenedto component 2, is maintained in position by suction cups 5 for example.It is on the other hand alternatively conceivable to cement components 1and 2 together at various points before riveting them together.

[0011] Riveting dollies 6, preferably identical in design, arepositioned at prescribed points below components 1 and 2 and alongdevice 3. Each dolly 6 in the present example comprises a foot 7, anannular rivet holder 8, a punch 9, and a rivet-lifting wedge 10. Theexact shape of foot 7 and the precise length of punch 9 will vary inaccordance with the particular application, but the dollies' othercomponents will all be identical in design at every riveting point. Theposition of all the dollies 6 in the device can accordingly be variedvertically and horizontally until they are ideally positioned at andbelow the riveting-points.

[0012] Components 1 and 2 are preferably fastened together with holepunching rivets 11. Rivets 11 are thrust through the intact material andsubsequently against a dolly 6 with a matching depression in its head bya rivet driver 12. Rivet driver 12 is supplied with fresh rivets by anunillustrated mechanism and is accommodated in an accommodation 13 atthe end of an arm on a robot that secures and positions it. The forcenecessary to hold components 1 and 2 together properly prior to rivetingcan be generated by a spring 14 or by other means.

[0013] The metal can be punched out and the lower rivet head shaped byeither pressing or hammering. Hammering will demand less counteractingforce on the part of the rivet driver 12 and robot.

[0014] The present method can also be profitably employed withoutrobots. In this event, rivet driver 12 must be positioned and secured bythe human hand, with of course the riveting points marked on components1 and 2.

[0015] The device 3 in one specific embodiment employed in aconcatenated fabrication-and-assembly line can be assigned other tasksupstream or downstream of the riveting operation. A conventional diepreviously employed for punching, stamping, or orienting the sheet canfor instance be provided with appropriate dollies 6. Such an approachcan decrease tooling investment.

[0016] Thicker components can when necessary be provided with rivetholes before being fastened together. When the materials are beingprocessed manually, this approach entails the advantage that no marksare needed. When working through robots on the other hand, they must bemore precisely controlled.

[0017]FIG. 2 is a schematic view of a device 3 for attaching a floorsubassembly to an automobile. Such subassemblies include a large numberof flat and molded sheetmetal components that need to be fastenedtogether by rivets, and the associated device will accordingly becomplex. In this event, dollies of identical design and easy to adjustin height and position represent a particular advantage. It will beevident that dollies 6 [sic!] can also or alternatively be secured todevice 3 horizontal or aslant. It is in particular a complicated floorsubassembly like the one illustrated in FIG. 2 that best demonstratesthe advantage achieved by the present invention. Simply, several robotscan be employed together without one interfering with another in thatrivet drivers 12 can be considerably smaller than those in conventionaldevices.

LIST OF PARTS

[0018] 1. component

[0019] 2. component

[0020] 3. device

[0021] 4. positioning-and-securing head

[0022] 5. suction cup

[0023] 6. dolly

[0024] 7. foot

[0025] 8. rivet holder

[0026] 9. punch

[0027] 10. wedge

[0028] 11. rivet

[0029] 12. rivet driver

[0030] 13. accommodation

[0031] 14. spring

1. Method of fastening two or more components together by rivets,whereby drivers (12) drive the rivets through the components and againstdollies (6) and/or clinch them, characterized in that the componentsthat are to be fastened together rest on a device that the dollies arepart of.
 2. Method as in claim 1, characterized in that the device (3)and rivet drivers (12) are part of a concatenated fabrication-andassembly line.
 3. Method as in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that therivet drivers (12) are secured in and operated by robots.
 4. Method asin one or more of claims 1 through 3, characterized in that the rivetdrivers (12) are automatically supplied with fresh rivets.
 5. Method asin one or more of claims 1 through 4, characterized in that at least onerivet hole is preliminarily bored through at least one of thecomponents.
 6. Method as in one or more of claims 1 through 4,characterized in that, before carrying out the riveting operation, therivet drivers (12) are forced subject to a prescribed force against thecomponents being fastened together.
 7. Device for carrying out themethod recited in one or more of claims 1 through 6, characterized inthat the device (3) is provided with means of positioning, securing, andguiding the components and in that the individual dollies (6) arepositioned below the riveting points.
 8. Device as in claim 7,characterized in that the position of the dollies (6) can be variedvertically and horizontally.
 9. Device as in claim 7 or 8, characterizedin that the dollies (6) are identical in design.
 10. Device as in one ormore of claims 7 through 9, characterized in that the device (3) whenpart of a concatenated fabrication and-assembly line is employedupstream or downstream in another operation.
 11. Device as in claim 10,characterized in that the device (3) is employed for stamping, shaping,or aligning.
 12. Device as in one or more of claims 7 through 11,characterized in that the rivet drivers (12) are axially connectedresiliently to accommodations (13).